Side tensioner for bales



Sept. 16, 1952 P. P. WUERTZ SIDE TENSIONER FOR BALES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3, 1949 u H g; I I PMARL/WRW CMAM vfi/ fl Sept. 16, 1952 P. P. WUERTZ 2,610,575

SIDE TENSIONER FOR BAT-ES Filed Jan. 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 P404 P WMERTZ Sept. 16, 1952 P. P. WUERTZ SIDE TENSIONER FOR SALES 3Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Jan. 3, 1949 w 329 L I 1 5 4 3 /8 4 I! n 1 a a L 0 FIE-FE P401. P Wusnrz Patented Sept. 16,1952 7 g I v a j SIDE TENSIONER FOR BALES Paul P. Wuertz, Melrose, Minn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Minneapolis-Moline Company, Hopkins, Minn., a corporation Minnesota Application January 3, 1949, Serial No. 68,890

'7 Claims. (c1. 100- 192) This invention relates to improvements in bale tensioning devices for hay balers.

The ordinary hay baling machine includes a bale case having a bale chamber wherein the hay is compressed by the bale plunger and, after being tied, the bale is ejected from the chamber through an open end thereof Each compressed bale in succession acts as a head against which the I next succeeding bales are gradually com pressed and accumulated and thus, as is well'understood by those skilled in this art, the facility with which each bale moves out through the open end of the bale chamber controls the density and weight of the bales thatfollow'. It is therefore customary to provide adjustable means by which pressure may be exerted on the bale after it is completed in order thus to regulate the density and the weight of the bales; r r I I The present invention supplements that forming the subject matter of my prior copending application for; Bale Tensioning Mechanism, Serial No. 777,773, filed October 3, 1947, wherein there is provided a bale tensioning plate swingably supported in the path of one side of the bale as it leaves the baling chamber and yieldably tensioned in such manner as to permit very sensitive and preciseadjustments of the frictional resistance offered to the fpassingof the bale. As the bale passes this plate swings away from the bale and in the directionof travel thereof, and for the present invention I make'use of this movement of the bale tensioning plate to actuate shoes engaging twooppos'itesides of the bale adjacent that engaged by the plate. These shoes exert added frictional resistance to the passing of the bale and, in addition 'to facilitating the adjustment of the bale tension according to the bale density desired, the shoes have the further and valuable function of making a better shaped and smoother bale. H

Another object of the present invention is to provide a side tensioningmechanism for bales which is completely automatic in its operation and which in conjunction with thejtensioning plate of my earlier application is of value in bal ing hay wherein occasional batches of green stuff are encountered in preventing the now quite prevalent tendency toward choking or clogging -causedby theincreasedfrictional effect of the green hay in comparisonto the drystuff.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the delivery'end of the hay baler or the baling chamber thereof,

showing my improved side tensionin means in conjunction with the tensioning plate of my rior application.

Fig. 2 is a' plan view of the structure .shownin Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view through one side of the structure and taken along the line 3-3 inFigl. I Y

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 4-4 in-Fig. 3', and showing also. theside portion of a bale passing the side tensioning shoe.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawings, a rear or delivery end portion of a haybaling chamber is indicated generally at A, and this chamber 'is rectangular in cross-section and formed by upper and lower bars or angles B and C, which define the corners of the chamber and which are joined by bale case plates indicated throughout at D. The bales are accumulated in the chamber A by the usual bale plunger and associated: elements not here shown, and as each bale is completed it moves out through the open-rear end of the chamber or to the right as vie'wedin'Fig. 1. As each bale moves in this direction, by thepressure of the next bale while it is being formed, the completed bale acts as a head or a support against which the bales may be accumulated as has been describedabove. In accordance with my invention the upper bale case angles B are cut short as indicated at E and the upper and the two side bale case plates D also terminate, at the same point. I then substitute for these upper angles B side bars In which are'firmly secured as indicated at H and in any suitable fashion to the rear ends of the angles B. The side bars [0 extend out to the delivery end of the balingchamber and as here shown these bars I 0 take the form of angles having their horizontal Webs l2 turned outwardly as clearly shown in'Fig. 3. 1 The rear ends of the side bars l0 and of the lower angle C' are joined by upright support bars l3 bolted or otherwise secured in place as indicated at l4. The forward ends of the side bars lllare similarly joined to the lower angles C by forward support bars [5 fastened as indicated at IS. The rear support bars l3 extendabove the baling chamber some distance as best. shown in Fig. 1 and the forward bars [5 also project above but to'a considerablygreater height; L .1

Provided in the rectangular open space thus r formed at the top of the baling chamber adja cent its rear end, there is a bale tensioning plate indicated generally at ll of proper size and shape to substantially completely close this opening. The sides of the plate [7 are turned downwardly in the form of stinening flanges it which also serve to guide upper corners of the bales passing therebeneath aswill' be readily understood. The tensioning plate is movably supported or swingably suspended at its forward end by hanger links 19 which are pivotally mounted at their upper ends to a cross rod 23 joining the upper ends of the forward support bars 5. The lower ends of the links I9 are pivotally attamedby pins 2.! to apertured ears 22 fastened at this forward end of the plate. In a similar fashion the :rear end of the plate is swingably suspended by hanger links 23 pivoted at upper ends on .a cross .rod .24 extending through and between the upper ends of the rear support bars [3. The lower ends of the rear hanger links 23' are pivoted by pins 25 between the ,rea-rends of transversally spaced pairs of ribs .26 welded lengthwise on the rear end'portion of the tensioning plate. The arrangement is such that the tensioning plate is supported for oscillating or swinging movements in a generally horizontal and forward and rear wardly extending plane above and with respect to the rear or delivery end of the baling cham her. It will be noted that in its normal position,

as shown in Fig. 1,.the tensioning plate il inclines downwardlyand rearwardly so that .a passing bale must swingthe-plate upwardly and rearwardly as it emerges from the chamber.

Such movement of the tensioning plate H by the passing bale :is yieldably resisted by two or more heavy zretractile coil springs?! which are a'ttachedat their forward ends at v2.8 to a -bracket 29 .on the rear. end of the. upper bale case plate D. The rear ends .of the springs .21 are attached at .3!) Itov a tubular adjusting member 3! .having a bore tapped to receive a screw :32, the rear end of which isfjournaled through .a collar 33. This collar is trunnionedat 3.4 in-bra'ckets '35 secured to the rear portion of the .tens-ioning plate while fastened to the screw 32, rearwardly of thecolla-r is a squared'co'llar 3B or any other suitable means by which the screw'3'2 may be turned. It will be obvious that the forward tension 'or pull'of the springs 21 will thus normally swing the tensioning plate I ltinthe same directionaholding its forward end 31 against the rear edgeof the upper bale case plate .1) and that the springs will thus resist the aforesaid rearward swingingmovement of the plate'by the bales, and this resistancemagy be readily. adjusted by turning a screw 32 to stretch'or relax the springs 21.

As'has been pointed out in more detail injmy prior application the tensioning plate H permits the convenient adjustment of the frictional resistance offered to'the passage of the bales :in such fashion-as to permit the density of the following bales to be readily adjusted. Inasmuch as the plate swings through a substantial range in'its operation and has anarcuate motion upon its hanger links 1'9 "and Y23 .t-h-eb aledensity. is quite precisely proportional to the .friction exerted by the bale upon the'plate. This :has the desirable efiect of preventing cloggingand prevents the-occasiunally encountered green stuff, in the hay from temporarily great-lyincreasing bale density and weight; v

Turning. now to 'the'presen-t invention 1 pro-1 vide additional, cooperating tensioning means :for the sides of the bales and-such means comprises an. upright carrier arm '01 bar 38 positioned at each side of the open rear end of the baling chamber, between the support bars l3 and :5.

The'lower end of each carrier arm 38 (Fig. 3) has The carrier arms'38 extend some distance above a the balingchamber and at an elevation above the tensioning spring assembly previously described the upper ends of the arms are joined by a cross tensioningspring 42 the ends of which are hooked at 43 .in-eye bolts 44 passing outwardly through lugs 45 securedatop the arms. Nuts 4'6 on the outer ends of the eye bolts 44 permit the tension of the spring 42 to be adjusted and the spring as thus arranged obviously yieldably draws the carrier arms toward the'baling chamber.

Above the level of the side bars teach carrier arm 38 has inwardly turned, ver-ticallyvspaced and "apertured ears 4! (Figs. 2' and :3) between which is loosely mounted the rear end or" 'an actuating bar orlink lfi. This end of the bar 48 is pivoted on a vertical axis to the ears '4? by the upwardly turned rear end 49 of a link rod es extendizr forwardly over the adjacentside bar iii and hooked atits forwardend 51 loosely through an aperture 52 in the upper flange-l2 of said bar. The. link rods .50 (there beingoi course onexat ea'ch side) have thQ'fl-lI-IC'CJOII of re.- sisting rearward thrust on the upper ends 'of the carrier arms in theiraoperation tobe presently described, landthe loose fit at 52 is .sufficientto permit the carrier arms {co ..-move withoutrinterference from the links. A

The actuating bars 48;extend ,forwardly, and angle inwardly, from their pivotal attachrmmts 43with the carrier arms, and at their ends are slotted :at 53 to accommodate bolts 54 by which they are attached to the bale tensioni-ng plate 11., as seen in Fig. 2. .Itw-ill be noted that the bars 48 also angle downwardly to properly rneetthe plate.

At .a level about midway betwe'enthe side bare it and lower bale chamber angles C eachcarrier arm 38 carries a bale eng-aging,,.side tensioning as indicated at in Fig. 3.. elongated and rectangular; havinga bale .engag shoe or shoe element designated generally at 55 and for .rnountingthe shoes thelarms have inwardly extending bracket plates 55 aperturcd near inner, upper corners .to receive. pivot pins 5?, andbeveled off .attheir lower inner corners Each shoe 55 is ing surface or sole plate 5.9 of this shapejfroin the upper and. lower vei:'lges.= of which flangesare turned outwardly. The forward end of the sole plate .59; orthe end which firstrmeets the bale, is turned outwardly as indicatediat 6| in order not to dig into an approaching'bale. ."Web plates s2 join the upper and lower flanges 6'9 and are so spaced as to slip'loosely over inner ends of the bracket plates 56 and these 'webplates are further apertured to pivotally receive the pins '5].

As best shown in .Figs. 1 and '3 the 'shoes'55, when no bale is passing between, will hang or swing downwardly at innersides to a slight angle, until stopped by. con-tact of the. lower flangest! with the bevelled .corners153of the bracket plates 55. In this position, however, the shoes willv not be so angledthat their outwardly turned forward guide-ends 5! will not properly. receive the approaching bale. 155 the bale then moves back the shoes willthenstraighten upand .bear with a 5, floating pressure (aboutthe" pivotsr5lz) on the tale-sides: 2 j 1-; H -"-In' operation now, as-a bale moves out 1 toward and through the delivery endof the balingichamberm-the resulting. movement of l the tensioning ister-r is previously: described will exertendwise; rearwardifthrust o'nzzthetactuatingbars '48,; Due td'ithei outwardrearward:angularityiof these bars 48 ItITiSLthr-u'stLWiH' tend' zitoi swingsthe upper F ends ofztheicarriersrarmsi38:outwardly"-to move the shoesl' 55 away 5 from the: sides of" thezbale." This movement ofuthe shoes is yieldably'resisted by the'crosstensioning spring 42 and thus the shoes will beurged against thebale; sides to:hold them toshape: and ifrictionallyeresist passage of' the balEJli The amo'unt: ofsuch "resistance is determined bothby the tension ofthe spring-42 and by 'itheaiiiourit ofm'ovement of the tensioning plate [1, which in turn is determined to a major extent by the springs'flQ Thus all of the spring adjustments are controlling of the bale density and'the adjustments permit very precisecontrol. The slots 53,, through which the movement of the tensioningplate I1 is transmitted to the shoe carrier arms'38 do, however, act as lost motion ofifiedtion's andpermi-t some independerice-inthe actibn o'f the bale topand side tensioning as" will b iinderstoc idw ln-practice-it is ".found' that the ffioatihglt bale. tensioning upon I-the threead ialceht sides of the bales resultdnnthe formation er saies ofziwell nigh. perfect "shape and defisity with but'little variation between bales.

As the plate I! is moved rearward, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, by a tightly compressed bale the actuating links or bars 48 tend to spread the arms 38 and stretch the spring 42 so that its tension frictionally engages the shoes 55 with the sides of the bale. As plate I! so moves, however, the links 48 approach straight or transversely aligned positions and thus they progressively transfer the increasing tension of spring 42 to the frame of the baler and correspondingly relieve the shoes 55 of this tension to prevent the progressive choking of the baler which so often occurs where the spring tension onthe bale itself is continually increased. Again considering Fig. 2 it will be apparent that if plate I! moves to a point at which the links 48 are actually transversely aligned and parallel with the spring 42 then the tension of the spring will be wholly absorbed by the baler frame and very little pressure will be put on the sides of the bales by shoes 55. Further it will'be noted that spring 42 will tend to urge plate I! forwardly and hence will yieldably resist the rearward movement of this plate I by the passing bale but, as the links 48 start to straighten out, this forward force on plate I! will also diminish, so that no choking can occur from this source.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated anddescribed my invention, what I claim to be new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is: V V

1. For a hay baler having a tensioning plate yieldably supported for engagement with and movement by one side of the bales, a support, carrier arms pivoted on the support, shoe elements carried by the arms and positioned to frictionally engage two sides of the bales contiguous to the side engaged by the tensioning plate, spring mechanism connected to the carrier arms to urge the shoe elements against the bale, and actuating elements-connecting:the carrier. arms and ten-.-: sioning plategtol move the carrier arms and shoe elementsi'i r I a,

2. The combinatiorrfin a' hay. balingmachinehaving a i:r'ame:- w ith' a bale chamber through which the bales-pass they are .formed. and a bale engaging plate movably suspended to engage oneside ofiai passing bale and-to: be moved in' the idirection' of travel of the bale, of-carrier arms pivoted to the frame and a spring stretched. between the arms and across the tensioning plate to: pull the :arms toward the path: of sthex-bale, meansorithe arms for. engaging thebale'at opposite sidesand actuating members connected .to

.1 the tensioningiplate and the arms-to'sprea'dthe tween the arms and crosswise of theplate to pull the arms toward the path ofthe bale, means on the arms for-engagingxtheibale at opposite sides, actuating bars pivotally connectedito. the arms aii'd -to the tensioni'ng plate tospread the arms as theftensioning" plateis moved duringpassageof a bale; I said bars; angling fromi their pivot con-e nections .to the armsinward toward each; other and in a direction opposite to the travel of the bales whereby the arms will gradually straighten toward positions aligned with the spring as the plate moves and thereby increasingly divert the tension of the spring to the frame.

4. In a baling machine having a frame and a rearwardly opening bale chamber of rectangular cross section, a tensioning plate in the upper side of the chamber and means swingably suspending the plate so that it will move rearwardly and upwardly as a bale passes, spring means biasing the plate in the opposite direction, carrier arms arranged in upright positions at opposite sides of the bale chamber and pivoted to the frame at their lower ends for movement toward and away from the path of the bales, means on the arms for engaging the opposite sides of the bales, cross tensioning spring means connected to the upper ends of the arms to draw them toward the bale path, and actuating members pivoted to the arms and angling inward and forward therefrom and pivoted atinner ends to the tensioning plate to spread the arms as the plate is moved rearwardly.

5. Ina baling machine having a frame and a rearwardly opening bale chamber of rectangular cross section, a bale engaging plate in the upper side of the chamber and means swingably suspending the plate so that it will move rearwardly and upwardly as a bale passes, carrier arms arranged in upright positions at opposite sides of the bale chamber and pivoted to the frame at their lower ends for movement toward and away from the path of the bales, means on the arms for frictionally engaging the opposite sides of the bales, cross tensioning spring means connected to the upper ends of the arms to draw them toward the bale path, and actuating members pivoted to the arms and angling inward and forward therefrom and pivoted at inner ends to the plate to spread the arms as the plate is moved rearwardly, the angle of the actuating members being such that they will be swung to positions substantially in transverse alignment and in alignment a hay baling machine with said spring :means when the 7 plate 'ap- DI'O'MhESTitS extreme rearward position to thereby absorb an increasing amount of the pull of; the crossixtension'ping' spring means.

:1" 63 111 a balingfimachine: having a frame and a rearwardly opening'bale chamber of rectangular cross 'seetiom a bale engaging-plate in the. upper sidei'of the: chamber-andmeans swingably suspendingithe plate so that it; will move rearwardly and lupwardly as:albale passes, carrier arms arranged. in upright positions at opposite sides of theiibakstchamber and pivoted to the frame at theirllower' ends for movementv toward and away from:Itheep'athofthe:bales; means on the arms for'fi'ietionally .engagingthe opposite sides of the bales; cross tensioning spring means connected to the arms to draw them toward, the bale; path, actuating" members. pivoted tothe; arms, and anglingUinward and forward therefrom and pivotediat inner ends-to the plate to spread the arms asthevplate :is :movedrearwardly, and link rods conneeted'between the frame and the upper ends of the'ar'ms toiresist rearward thrust on the arms as the :ibales move rearwardly between the bale engaging meansthereon.

' 'l' Forra; balling-machine having a frame-with a baling'chamber opening at one end to pass the bales and a plate-'movably supported in frictional engagement with one side of the bales for movement thereby toward said open end of the chamben'xbaleutensioning mechanism comprising bale engaging'members and means movably support- 81 a ingsaid members for movement inwardand-oub' ward toward and away from oppositer'sldesniof bales passing in the chamber,- spring :means operatively arranged inconjunction with said members. and exerting force-in a plane'crosswisewof V mone wunn'rz REFEBEN ESYCITED The following referenoesare of record in the file of this patents V: i UNITEDS'IZATESiPA'IEN'l-S Date Number v Name 434,775 Gehrt Aug. 19, 1890 549,957: Coles Nov. 1-9,;1'895 1,394,458 r Whitney v. Oath-1'8; 1921 1,830,623 ;R0 11man .L;;- VNOV. 3,v 1931 2,389,510 Hitchcock Nov. .20, 1945 

